So far, sounds like everyone likes:
Toyota/Lexus [13 votes]

Mercedes [6 votes]
Porsche [3 votes]

Ford [4 votes]
Honda/Acura [3 votes]


And maybe:
Aston Martin [2 votes]
Nissan/Infiniti [2 votes]
GM [2 votes]
.

 

Not all, my top 3 are based on innovation especially in power- train and technology. Lexus is very slow in either of these categories and when they do, it's something that's already been out years in the competition. For example, my old E46 sport package sedan had memory seats from 2003 yet the 4IS just got that option a year ago. Cars like the RCF still don't have power folding mirrors in 2018 when BMW had this on the E46 M3 more than a decade ago. Lexus's only only edge today is the cheaper price point and the reliability of their motors. Without these things, there would be no reason to buy a Lexus.

Mercedes
Audi
Porsche

 

I've gotta get in on this...

Lexus: Obviously, I am a fan to an extent, but it's for good reason. Driving the IS, even back to back with the A4 and 328i that were available at the time, showed me that the image of cars I had in my head at the time would not translate directly to the driving experience - i.e., Lexus being known for building comfortable, reliable transportation and not fun-to-drive, extroverted cars. The IS was my first "nice car" and really ignited an interest in cars in general that I previously hadn't explored. Looking beyond the IS, every Lexus vehicle I've sampled, perhaps other than the NX, has felt rock-solid and been quiet and comfortable to drive (the NX wasn't bad, just... a bit louder than expected). I also admire their top-tier reliability record and attention to detail in the way they design their interiors. My favorite car of theirs is definitely the LC (yes, even over the LFA), since I think it best embodies their identity these days - a sporty-looking, yet luxurious grand tourer with crazy styling.

Porsche: I've always admired Porsches, though I haven't had the chance to drive any (yet). My uncle has a 997 Carrera S which he got several years ago, and he gave me a ride to the airport in it, including my luggage. I remember he pulled over to the HOV lane and sped around the traffic, and it was quite exciting. So, from that point on Porsche was a thing. The reserved, elegant, yet low-slung and sporty looks of Porsches combined with their seemingly unflappable engineering make owning one a real aspiration for me. They also, incidentally, tend to be well-made and, for what they are, relatively reliable from what I understand. Now that I think about it, the fact that my luggage was able to fit in the front-trunk is pretty cool.

Maybe I'll get one one day. Honestly, if I could have any sports car in my driveway for under $200k, I'd consider Porsche first, hands down.

Toyota: I know, including both Toyota AND Lexus in this list might seem like cheating, but I have very different reasons for doing so. I didn't even want to, really, but I think it's actually the more accurate thing to do.

The reason I've chosen Toyota beyond my own experiences with them is that Toyota has contributed a lot to not only the automotive industry but also other industries as well in the form of Kaizen (continuous improvement). This methodology actually hugely influences software development, which I do for a living. Also, Lean and Kanban are taken from things Toyota has done, which are tools I use pretty much daily. It was really cool to learn that about the company that made the first car I actually bought for myself! I also have to say the two Camrys I have owned (a 2010 LE and a 2015 SE) were excellent cars in their own right, never leaving me stranded and always remaining comfortable. I've been in and out of Toyotas my whole life, since they've almost always been owned by someone I knew, and I always noticed the consistency of quality with which they seem to be built. No, they aren't always particularly luxurious, but they aren't supposed to be, either. Sometimes they can be, though - I seem to remember being impressed by a friend's Highlander Hybrid a few years ago for being so quiet and riding so smoothly. Not to mention, I admired the Supra and MR-2 when I was a kid - I really wanted the XMODS of the Supra back in the day. I don't think they beat out Lexus on my list, but they have respect from me beyond just the normal "I like their cars" level.

 

True. Japanese brands tend to be "slower" (in some cases) when it comes to releasing new features or doing any "change" to their vehicles - especially Toyota. TMC is a huge company that thrives off profit - which is the exact reason that holds them back from too much change. The same winning formula makes them millions and millions. However - this makes them slow compared to the competition.

However - I disagree that Lexus's only strong suit is price and reliability. There's more too it. I believe Lexus vehicles are more refined and thought out compared to its German rivals. German interiors tend to be less refined, less thought out (IE: blank switches and buttons in random places/odd cup-holder positions), and less fit/finish. Lexus is also more of an investment - their vehicles hold resale value longer while Germans tend to lose thousands (IE: BMW) when you drive it off the lot. Minor thing - but Lexus still make all of their cars in Japan with the exception of the RX and ES. That gives it more of an "import" feel than buying a upward of 50K C-Class or 3 Series imported from Mexico or Egypt.

Note: Not true. The Lexus IS had memory seats since the 2nd generation. However - this option was removed for the 3rd generation F-Sport and then just recently added back.
Note: True. The RC-F don't have power folding mirrors but it was probably the case to cut cost. Lexus does offer power-folding mirrors for other vehicles.
Note: Lexus is not always slow with technology offerings. I believe Lexus started the trend of "signature gauges" with the LFA gauges. Then Audi followed with a the signature Virtual Cockpit, MBUX and BMW's digital display.

 

Not in order:

Lexus, BMW, Honda.

Let's face it, we can and will nit pick the LS500, but as a general statement, it's a top notch vehicle.

BMW, the car co. has gone more mainstream, but its brand has a certain appeal that can only be described as being like Apple. They can build bad products, that people still love. imho they have the ability to get back to where they were, if they want. Many other cos. were never there.

Honda, have never owned any of their products, new, or used, but family members have. Totally boring products that when fit into everyday life, are practical.

I will say that when purchasing a vehicle, I would treat it like a roulette wheel. It has no memory, and every spin starts over. Purchase a vehicle that is exemplary for its time when sold, regardless of brand.

 

+1 This. (Off topic) but I agree. MB, BMW and Audi has gone so mainstream they are bulletproof from criticism almost. MB, BMW and Audi can do something ridiculous and people won't bat an eye. However - if Lexus does it, Lexus gets called out on it. Its exactly similar to how Apple can release "old" tech as "new" tech and no one says anything.
IE: What BMW did ridiculous that no one seemed to care is: they made 6 Series as a 5 Series Coupe but decided to make a 6 Series grancoupe as well. So they made a 4-door version of 2-door version of a 4-door car.
A good point to this is: how people always insult the Lexus IS for having an "ancient" platform but the BMW 3 Series platform is older. Even stranger is that the Audi A4 was on the modular structure platform since 2008 and the C-Class didn't get on it till 2015 W205. But no one called the W204 ancient.

 

Two things from memory that impressed me about BMW. When the E46 coupe came out (around 2000), people waited for the car (used to be the case, new 3 coupe, wait to order, zero in stock nationwide, was the case with the E92 as well), and then were disappointed with the steering rack. BMW offered to retrofit the rack for anyone who wanted it. That's the car co. they were. They refused when auto trans drivers discovered they didn't have an external oil cooler, when every stick did, on the 335i E92. However, with Takata, they gave every person a loaner car indefinitely, who asked. This was kicked around on the BMW forum, you're a sissy if you have a 2007 and take a 2016 loaner for a year, you should drive with the issue, you've done it already for 9 years lol. I took one and I saw the internal billing, it was over $9k. Again, through the Takata scandal, BMW and Honda emerged as 2 car cos. who provided loaners. Most incl. Toyota fought it. MB and Audi were particularly bad. So you take bad behavior and look at MB and Audi. They do not have to account for it. Seriously, products are desirable. Lexus just isn't there, the event they had at Citi Field showed it. They try hard, but are not on the same level as BMW...

 

I agree with the bold. BMW products have this type of "prestige" about them - its the brand. This is why the 3 Series sell so well. I remember when the 2014 Lexus IS released - it was 2 years newer and had much more tech than the 3 Series at the time (which was already 2 years old) - the BMW 3 Series still sold 2-3 times more than the Lexus IS. People would buy stripper 3 Series. BMW definitely marketed themselves really well over time. They are mentioned in every other song and seen in every other movie. Over time - this has an effect on people's sense of what's "prestigious".

 

OK, I will play, premised on my priorities, not anybody else's, LOL. Any maker can make a good car, stringing together enough successes to build a brand is tougher. Although it is hard to restrict to merely three:
1. Porsche/Audi/Volkswagen (they are all the same corporate ownership; individually, these would be my top three if by brand only)
2. Toyota/Lexus
3. Subaru

Porsche engineering and build is peerless, and they know their brand values, even with their SUV/crossovers, and they deliver real-world satisfaction. Audi makes wonderfully designed quality cars that do not scream "look at me, I am Status!", that again deliver real world driving benefits. Volkswagen is a no-nonsense mass market brand only let down by spotty reliability, if you get a good one it will last a long time and delight you with useful features that meet drivers' needs.

Toyota and Lexus deserve mention for durable and reliable build quality, decent value for money, and Toyota's unique manufacturing skills as well as ingeniously-developed hybrid technology. Lexus adds refinement, although I personally do not care for many Lexus models, I respect them for what they are intended to be. Toyota and Lexus trucks are the gold standard for "will this get me to a remote spot and back again with no problems?" test. Land Cruiser, LX, GX, 4Runner, and Tacoma especially, Tundra and Sequoia are not as impressive.

Subaru, like Volkswagen, is a no-nonsense and practical choice with interesting engineering, even if that engineering is not uniformly advantageous. They have grown their brand very well, not losing sight of who they are. It is hard to find a Subaru owner who hates their car.

Mercedes-Benz and BMW should be on the top three list, but in the last twenty years their pretensions have outrun their capabilities. Benz used to have unimpeachable build quality, everything over-engineered, very praiseworthy, but lately they have proliferated models, cheapened engineering, and lost their special advantages. BMW has lost their driver-first focus in pursuit of growth, never improved their durability and reliability sufficiently, and have pursued an odious business model of being "the ultimate leasing machine", thereby throwing away their advantages. Not to mention their wholesale adoption of run-flat tires, ugh!

Other than some Ford trucks, I can't include Ford (decades of mediocre drivetrains), GM (inconsistent, and unimpressive quality), FCA which can't make even Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable after many years of production. Honda is too inconsistent, Nissan/Infiniti are terrible, Hyundai/Kia too generic, Mazda too tinny, to make the list. Land Rover and Jaguar and Volvo have hits, misses, and never achieve sufficient reliability to make the top three.

I myself and my closest family have owned VW, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Ford, Dodge, Honda, Toyota, and Jeep over the past few decades, among others. If the Porsche dealer were located less far away...

 

Benz
Audi
Honda

 

1. Ford: Grew up loving my dad's Ford trucks. Then after college I bought a 2012 Fusion V6. That was a fanstastic car that treated me well. Last year I decided to upgrade and bought my 2015 F-150 V8. It's been excellent. There's a reason the F-150 is the best selling vehicle in America while being more expensive than the RAM or the GM twins.

2. Pontiac: Again from my childhood. My dad has 67 Firebird with the 400. Love that car. Pontiac was a racing machine back in the 60's. Between the GTO and the Firebird, they were killing it. It was tragic to see what they had become by the time they were defunct.

3. Lincoln: I guess I could have combined this with Ford, however I feel like it deserves its own recognition for the excellent vehicles of yesteryear. Had a relative who had an 86' Town Car. That car was super comfortable and classy. Lincoln knew land-yachts like nobody's business. I'm excited to see them finally having a renaissance of sorts. The new Navigator(minus the fugly rims) and Continental look amazing. I'm hoping the new Aviator(and Explorer) end up being awesome.

 

1. Toyota / Lexus: Have also loved their the body on frame SUV's - 4runner, LC, GX, LX etc. Not many automakers make these kind of trucks & none which have the long term reliability of these vehicles.

2. Hyundai: Great value proposition. Good design / build quality and excellent feature content at a lower price point.

3. Buick: Again good value proposition. luxury like ride, refinement, warranty etc with pricing which is closer to higher end Toyota's / Honda's